Hayward Bros. and The Usual Suspects broaden UK offering

By James Bayley

Published: 23 January, 2023

Hayward Bros, the family-owned, London-based importer has strengthened its relationship with Australian producer The Usual Suspects Collective, headed up by Jonathon Hesketh.

For several years, Hayward has imported Hesketh wines from the cool climate of the Limestone Coast growing region – a diverse range including an NV Cuvée Brut, a ‘Weekend’ Chardonnay and a 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon.

However, despite tough trading conditions, Hayward Bros and The Usual Suspects will expand their offer to the UK market with the addition of three new wineries.

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The first is Parker Coonawarra Estate, a producer situated near the coast, boasting “the best Cabernet in the world,” according to head viticulturist Brett Williams.

“Coonawarra, given that it's so close to the Southern Ocean – it's like a giant refrigerator 80 kilometers to the west – makes a beautiful Cabernet," said head winemaker Andrew Hardy.

The second winery is Vickery – the acknowledged old master of the Riesling grape, with over 400 awards. The wines are sourced from Watervale in the Clare Valley and represent some of the finest examples of Riesling available in Australia.

Lastly, Miss Zilm – a relatively new Clare Valley winery headed up by Keeda Zilm, is the third and final new addition. The winery has a modest selection of Zlim’s favourite varieties, focusing on small batch, minimal intervention wines full of flavour and personality, including Reisling, Pinot Gris, Fiano and Malbec/Shiraz.

Commenting on the expansion Jonathon Hesketh (pictured), MD of The Usual Suspects Collective said, “The UK market is a challenging one and it was important to align ourselves with a company which shares our values and is embedded in the market in all aspects. Having worked with the team at Hayward Bros, I am delighted to extend our relationship with them.”

Robert Hayward, MD of Hayward Bros added, “We are delighted to be deepening our ties with Jonathon and to be representing such a package of wineries in the UK. Despite the tough trading conditions, we continue to invest in new agencies to ensure our sustainable future. These wines will, I am sure, be a hit with our customers.”

Tony Schendel, director of Hayward Bros suggested that the wines would suit, “the growing UK palate of fresh, aromatic whites and textured fresher red styles.”

The wineries also support family-run businesses, female winemakers and champion sustainability, all of which are growing trends in the UK market.

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